Christmas emptiness
by namedlucie
Summary: Emma takes Henry to Regina's for Christmas dinner. (I wrote this last year but Christmas is coming again, haha)


„Come on, Henry, we should hurry or your mom will be angry. " Emma grabbed Henry's jacket and handed it to him.

"Emma, I don't wanna go yet," Henry whined a little playing with his new toys.

"Get up, Henry. You'll take your presents with you. But we gotta go now. You don't want your mom to send a fire ball on me, do you," Emma scratched Henry's hair and handed him a bag to put all his presents there.

Henry did as he was told and got dressed.

"She wouldn't do that, you know it, Emma."

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure. Last time I came just 5 minutes later she looked like she would explode and I'm sure she hid the fire ball in her hand behind her back. I don't wanna know what she would do if we came late for your Christmas Eve dinner."

Henry chuckled and they went out of the apartment, hand in hand, Emma carrying the bag with Henry's presents.

Emma was lost in her thoughts as they were coming closer to Regina's mansion. She was thinking about Christmas. She was glad Regina let her spent two days with Henry. Actually, she was a little surprised that Regina didn't even protest. Well, not much. But Emma was grateful that she could have her own Christmas with Henry, no matter that it wasn't exactly the right day. She wouldn't even care if they would celebrate Christmas in July if that would mean to be with Henry.

After she will bring him to Regina, she will come back to her apartment which she shared with her parents. She was happy to be with her family during the holidays but she felt that there was missing something in her heart. Something she couldn't name. Like a little black hole which didn't let her to be happy.

She rang the bell and they waited till Regina opened the door. It took her surprisingly a long time and Emma was getting impatient because it was cold, it was snowing and she could feel that her nose and her cheeks were red.

Regina opened the door. She was wearing a black dress with a little lace over her shoulders. She looked stunning.

"Ehm, hi," Emma said, a bit nervous. She was nervous because Regina was smiling. Emma could count on her fingers how many times she saw Regina really smiling and it was always because of Henry when he did or said something funny. This wasn't the case; she already opened the door with that smile.

Regina looked Emma in the eyes. She really meant that smile.

"Mom, I have to show you all the presents I got! They're amazing!" Henry shouted as he took the bag from Emma's hands.

Regina let her eyes smile one more time on Emma and looked at Henry.

"Oh I'm sure about that, honey. But at first go inside, you have a cocoa in the kitchen," she petted his head and stepped to the side so he could ran in.

She didn't move to close the door afterwards. She raised her head and looked at Emma again. The smile was gone but the corners of her mouth still seemed a bit up.

"You have there a cocoa too, Miss Swan. I can see that you're cold." She gestured with her hand inside, her voice a bit soft.

It took Emma few seconds to move. She couldn't believe her eyes at first but now she couldn't believe her ears either. Either got Regina crazy during the two days she didn't see her or Christmas really meant magic. A magic that even Regina could do nothing against.

Emma was grateful for the cup of cocoa which she was hugging with her hands.

"Thanks," she mumbled, "it's really freezing today."

"Well, you wouldn't be freezing if you would just wear gloves." Regina said pointedly. She seemed back to herself.

Henry drunk his cocoa fast and was up again.

"Can I go play now?"

"Yes, you can."

Henry was out of the kitchen before she had finished the sentence.

Emma moved on her chair and cleared her throat.

"I should probably go."

Regina watched Emma as she got up and headed to the door. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Wait." She breathed out. It was more a whisper than a normal voice.

Emma stopped in the door way. She was sure as hell what she had heard but she couldn't believe it. She turned around and stared at Regina, question marks in her eyes as she was wondering what she wants and why she is whispering.

"What?" She finally said.

"Would you..." Regina stopped, looking at her hands on the table. She took another deep breath. "Would you like to stay for dinner?" She raised her eyes as she said the last word, afraid of what she will hear. She stood up so as Emma wasn't above her.

Emma's eyes widened. Her mouth was open. Her brain wasn't working the way she would like it to work. She was surprised and pleased. Of course she wanted to stay here, with Regina. No, with Henry, of course. She winked as she tried to catch her thoughts together.

Regina moved closer to Emma, staring at her, waiting for her answer.

"I...hm... yes. Why not... but... why?" She still couldn't understand why Regina would offer something like that.

"It's Christmas," Regina said simply, as it was an explanation for everything.

"Yeah. It is. But it's also you," Emma said, still suspicious.

Regina took two steps closer to Emma.

"It's Christmas. And," she stopped, hesitating. "It's a time of the year when everyone wants to be with their family. And when they are not, they don't feel complete. A part of them is missing even if every other thing is perfect."

Emma sighed as she remembered what she was thinking about just few minutes ago and a sad, quick smile appeared on her face and disappeared again.

Regina took another step closer, slowly, like she would be afraid that she could scare Emma. She took Emma's hand slowly and gently. Emma was surprised but didn't say anything. She looked Regina in the eyes and waited for her to continue.

The fact that Emma didn't pull her hand gave her more courage.

"As I was here the two days alone, with all the Christmas decorations, all the carols playing in the radio and on TV, I had enough time to think about my emptiness. It's you, Emma. You are the piece that my black heart is missing. You are the light that makes my heart see which way to go. You are the only one who sees me with everything I've done and who doesn't see just the Evil Queen. You are the one who gave me my son."

Regina took a deep breath as she tried not to let her voice break with the last words.

Emma squeezed Regina's hand and a big happy smile appeared on her face.

"I would love to stay for dinner," she cupped Regina's cheek with her other hand and stroke it. "I would love to fill your emptiness as I would love you to fill mine," she whispered as she leaned closer and put a butterfly kiss on Regina's lips.


End file.
